India calls off foreign ministers meeting with Pakistan at UNGA
There would be no meeting between the foreign ministers, Indian foreign ministry spokesperson
NEW DELHI (Dunya News) – Indian government on Friday revoked its decision to accept Pakistan’s proposal for a meeting between the Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of UNGA in New York later this month.
According to Indian media reports, Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said : “There would be no meeting between the foreign ministers any longer ”.
He said that the decision to agree to Pakistan’s proposal for a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries in New York later this month was in response to “the spirit reflected in the letters from Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi”.
On Thursday, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had confirmed that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj would ill meet her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi in New York at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the last week of September.
He further added that New Delhi has accepted the PM Imran Khan’s suggestion and the meeting will take place on Pakistan s request.
PM Imran writes letter to Modi
Earlier Thursday, news emerged that PM Imran Khan has written a letter to PM Modi, seeking to re-start the talks on key issues including Kashmir.
In the letter dated September 14, Khan also proposed a meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this month.
"Building on the mutual desire for peace between our two countries, I wish to propose a meeting between Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, before the informal meeting of the SAARC foreign ministers at the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York," Khan wrote.
In the letter to Khan, Modi conveyed India s commitment to pursue "meaningful" and "constructive" engagement with Pakistan and emphasising the need to work for a terror-free South Asia.
Foreign Office Statement
Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal said in his tweet that Prime Minister Imran Khan in a letter to Indian counterpart Narendra Modi has responded with ‘positive spirit’ and invited him for a dialogue to resolve all issues.
“The prime minister has responded to PM Modi in a ‘positive spirit’, reciprocating his sentiments. Let’s talk and resolve all issues.”
The spokesman said a formal response was awaited from India in reply to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s offer for talks.
Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Modi last month had wrote a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan saying that New Delhi was willing to hold a constructive and meaningful engagement with Islamabad. He had also felicitated Imran Khan on assuming the office of prime minister.
Imran Khan Speech
Imran Khan—in his victory speech—had stressed on normal relations between the Himalyan neighbors.
While deploring Indian media’s hate campaign, Khan said, “If we want to slash poverty in the region, then we [Pakistan and India] must practice healthy trade ties”, he added.
"If India comes and takes one step towards us, we will take two steps toward them. Right now, it is one sided where India is constantly just blaming us", stated Khan.
Afterwards, Modi told Khan that India is ready for a new era of ties with Pakistan and called for crafting collective strategy for combating regional challenges.
